


drink me under, pull me in

by haarucchii



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Fluff, Humour, Johzenji Team Dynamics, M/M, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-19
Updated: 2016-03-12
Packaged: 2018-05-21 15:03:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,698
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6056035
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/haarucchii/pseuds/haarucchii
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“I want your number.” Yuuji puffed his chest out and tried to give himself confidence with each shuddering breath he took.</p><p>“My jersey number?” Ushiwaka asked, and Yuuji froze. “Well, before I graduated, the number I had was 1, you might get that too now that you’re a captain of your own team.” Ushiwaka nodded.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. for the first time

**Author's Note:**

  * For [EclecticInkling](https://archiveofourown.org/users/EclecticInkling/gifts).



> Dedicated to my writing sensei, Alloe, who has been helping me with my writing and watched me improve ever since we met, and helped me with my confidence as a writer. Thank you so much for being in my life Alloe, and thank you for teaching me and giving me tips on my writing. If I never met you, then I would have been still at the same state I had been last December, and I wouldn't have improved. Thank you for the motivation you had gave me, and the encouragement you had gave while I wrote this story, and other projects. 
> 
> (Also thank you for helping me indulge in my own Johzenji headcanons, which ended up enveloping my life and now I'm stuck with Setter Ho Takeharu forever.)
> 
> <3 Happy Belated Birthday bab

It wasn’t like the two of them of them hadn’t met before. They had met, numerous times before the upcoming practice match, that was coming up in less than a week.

It was a lie, Yuuji had only met him once, and talked to him only once.

He let out a frustrated sigh, throwing his controller down to the ground.

“Don’t tell me that you’re still thinking about that guy, what’s his name, Ushiwaka?” Kazuma rolled his eyes, nudging Yuuji in the leg, eyes never leaving the pixelated screen in front of them. “I’m pretty sure that he didn’t even care when you guys had that _special moment._ ” He mocked Yuuji’s tone, a throwback from the Captain’s conversation with Ushijima back in their first year, Ushijima’s second. “He was having those googly eyes for Seijou’s setter. pretty sure he still does.” He paused the game to look at Takeharu with a lilt to his voice.

“I also know another guy who has googly eyes for Seijou’s setter~!”

“Sure, okay.” Takeharu muses, pressing play on Kazuma’s controller with his toes and continued to beat up his character.

“Hey!”

“At least I had a conversation with Seijou’s setter, a _real_ one.”

“When was this?” Yuuji hummed, moving his fingers to beat up Kazuma’s character too, then shifted his position from sitting on the bench, to just letting his arms drape over it relaxingly.

(“The is the pre-practice game!” Yuuji said, bringing in an old model TV into the boys’ change room and a console with controllers. “This will warm our fingers up before we start playing and practicing _for real._ ”

He paused before continuing, “Please don’t tell Hana-senpai.”)

“Fall tournament, after our game with Kumaten.” Takeharu’s eyes drifted to the ceiling, remembering that moment. “He complimented me on my setting, on how I was really quick to adjust to your sudden game plans, and how that was a good thing to have.” He snorted, “Then Ushiwaka came in before I can say ‘thank you’, and tried talking to Oikawa-san, he just bolted.”

“That’s not a real conversation.” Yuuji scoffed.

“Neither was yours!” Arata and Rintarou walked in at Kazuma’s exclamation, smiles dropped as soon as they walked in on the before-practice Super Smash Bros game.

“Oh, are we talking about Teru’s conversaton with Ushiwaka?”

“Or lack of?” Rintarou smiled at Yuuji, who stuck his tongue out at him.

“Shut up, you Pokemon antagonist looking bastard!”

Rintarou ignored him, puffed his chest out and squared his shoulders to make himself look taller, and walked right into Arata’s shoulder.

“Oh, I’m sorry.” He said gruffly, imitating Ushiwaka.

Arata swooned, falling into Rintarou’s chest, though the latter didn’t steady him. “It’s okay!” He squeaked, imitating Yuuji, “In fact, it’s NOT okay!” He gasped, then grabbed the front of Rintarou’s shirt, “In order for you to pay me back for that, you have to give me your number.”

Rintarou looked down at him, tilting his head in confusion. “My jersey number is 1.”

Arata deflated, “Okay.” The members burst into laughter, while Yuuji huffed and threw his controller at Rintarou, though it didn’t get very far because of the cord attached to the console. “That isn’t how it went!” He tried to protest, but the laughter of his supposed _teammates_ overpowered his voice.

Yuuji scowled when his teammates started to fuss more about the _inch_ the console moved forward rather than Yuuji’s pride, after he threw the controller. “Why do you guys mock me? This is so upsetting. This is betrayal, anarchy!” He stood on the bench with his arms out, the volleyball players finally paying attention to him, and let himself fall to where Kazuma had settled himself on the ground,

Kazuma let out a grunt as Yuuji landed on him, elbows digging him his stomach and head too close to his own _head._ “Get the _fuck_ off me,” He groaned, “If you do this again I’ll ask coach if I can be captain.”

“I second that,”

“Third,”

“Fourth.”

Before Yuuji can even let out another gasp of betrayal, Rina’s voice called out nervously into the changeroom, “G-Guys! Time for practice.” There was a pause, then she let out a bellow. “OR ELSE I’LL CALL HANA-SENPAI.”

Another pause, then a calm voice echoed in the room that caused the boys to shuffle around and get changed as quick as they can, the game paused. “You called?”

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


 

 

 

 

 

 

“As you know,” Anabara-sensei started glancing back at the influx of boys walking into the gym knowingly, “We’re having a practice match with Shiratorizawa in the following week, and since their last match with their third years had been the finals, the third years will not be there to help you guys and give advice like they normally would as your senpai.”

Yuuji paused. “What?” He asked, not believing what he had just heard, but Kazuma snickered and poked Yuuji’s side.

“It means you fucked up.”

“Should’ve asked him out on a date.” Arata said. He leaned back onto his forearms and grinned. “Now you gotta wait a year-- maybe even more if he decides to go overseas for volleyball.”

Anabara-sensei just looked at them, and shook his head.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“I have Shirabu’s number, you know, Shiratorizawa’s setter?.” Takeharu said, then proceeded to wave his phone in front of Yuuji’s face. “I can get him to ask Ushiwaka to join the game next week, or even watch it.”

“Could you really?” Yuuji asked, stars shining in his eyes, but he snapped out of it. “Wait-- why do you have Shiratorizawa’s setter’s number?”

“Because I’m not a fucking wimp like you, Cap’n.” Takeharu scoffed, finding Shirabu’s number in his phone.

“Okay, _rude._ ”

“Love you.”

“I love you too,” Yuuji grinned and looked over Takeharu’s shoulder, where Shirabu replied with a _‘why._ ’

Takeharu replied quickly, ‘because my captain has the hots for your captain and we’re trying to hook them up.’

 ** _> >From: Shira-bae [15:03]_** ** _  
_** _youre trying to get my captain.._ _  
_ _and your captain_ _  
_ _together?_

 ** _> >To: Shira-bae [15:04]_** ** _  
_** _yea_ _  
_ _so what? could u try getting him to join the game?_

 ** _> >Fro: Shira-bae [15:06]_** ** _  
_** _sure but_ ** _  
_** _one condition_

 ** _> >To: Shira-bae [15:06]_** ** _  
_** _what is it?????_

 ** _> >From: Shira-bae [15:10]_** ** _  
_** _change my name on your phone_ _  
_ _i know its still ‘shira-bae’_

 ** _> >To: Shira-babe [15:11]_** ** _  
_** _ok done_

 _> >_ ** _From Shira-babe [15:14]_** ** _  
_** _what is it now?_

 ** _> >To: Shira-babe [15:14]_** ** _  
_** _shira-babe (;_

 ** _> >From: Shira-babe [15:17]_** ** _  
_** _..._ ** _  
_** _we went on one date_ _  
_ _ONE._

“Really? You dated their setter but you didn’t think to...maybe..introduce me to your captain...as a double date?” Yuuji nudged Takeharu’s stomach each time he paused and Takeharu rolled his eyes.

“Sorry,I was too busy texting the other setter,- Semi?- while we were on our date.”

“What the fuck.”

Takeharu just winked.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Takeharu is a ho.” Yuuji said, as soon as he walked into the changing room the next day.  

“You didn’t know that?” Nobuyoshi answered back, eyes never wavering from their Zelda game.

“Dude we knew that since first year, when we found him trying to suck a second years’ dick.”

“Then the next day,” Arata continued, he looked at Rintarou and the two of them wiggled their eyebrows. “We found him making out with a girl in their third year.”

“Eyes like an angel.” Katsumichi started.

“Lips like a devil~!”The rest of them chorused.

  
  
  
  
  
  


 

 

 

 

 

 

“I just realized,”   Yuuji sighed out, after a particularly hard 2-on-2 game with Arata, Nobuyoshi, and Katsumichi, “Maybe we’re so rude to each other because of these two on two games. We get really competitive about it, and I think we take it off the courts and onto each other.”

“Stop being so philosophical.” Arata groaned, then rolled over to swing his arm over to hit Yuuji’s chest, “You’re better at organizing attacks.”

“Urgh..”

“It’s just that we’re too friendly with each other to the point that it’s annoying.” Nobuyoshi groaned out. “Don’t get all deep with us trying to target you, and trying to find a reason why we’re so rude. It’s because you’re our captain, and we’re being little shits to you because we know, if the next first years are gonna be anything like us, you’re going to have a problem unless we condition you for it.”

Nobuyoshi picked himself, then proceeded to drop his body over Yuuji’s legs.

“Uhgrh.”

“We love you captain!” Yuuji looked up to the general direction where Katsumichi had last fell, and nearly yelled in surprise while watching his teammate sliding towards him and legs moving at an impossible speed, pushing him towards Yuuji.

“Jesus Christ--” He groaned out a _third_ time when Katsumichi head collided with his stomach, then when his head dropped onto his stomach,  

“We love you,” Katsumichi said again, seriously. “You’re a piece of shit but you know, you’re cool when you want to be.”

“Is this a dog pile I see?” Kazuma exclaimed from the other side of the gym. “ _On the captain?”_

Yuuji heard the stampede of three pairs of feet, and then silence.

He sucked in his breath.

The weight of seven nearly grown boys was on him in a matter of seconds. Yuuji regrets not getting Ushiwaka’s number, and sees his life flash before his eyes.

“Captai-- _WAKE UP_.”

“Oh no!”

“He didn’t get to tell Ushiwaka that he loved him!”

“Wait, you should text him right now.”

Silence.

“I’ll get my phone.” There were footsteps that drifted away and the shut of a door.

“I’ll get Teru’s funeral invitations out, I think we still have the ones we planned out for his assassination?”

_They planned an assassination?_

“Oh yeah, when was the date for that?”

“Uhm, March 2nd, why-- WAIT.”

“OH SHIT.”

“SHIT.”

“FUCK.”

“TODAY--”

“IT’S MARCH 2ND.”

“DUDE.”

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


 

 

 

 

 

The night of the match, Yuuji couldn’t sleep because of the chance of Ushiwaka being there.

Like, _damn._

Yuuji bit his lip, looking up at his ceiling and imagining the way Ushiwaka’s arm would swing down to hit a toss-- the slapping sound of the ball hitting Arata’s arms and flying towards Kazuma. He can hear the light tap that bounces off Kazuma’s fingers and Yuuji can feel himself fly up and hit the ball with all his might, listening to it hit the ground with a smack.

Yuuji grinned, turning around and burying his face into his pillow, legs swinging.

He’s too excited.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He regrets the fact that feelings were a real thing.

His feet move sluggishly and drag against the ground, listening to his shoes scratch against the ground and the noises around him were muffled and distorted.

Maybe it was because he had his earphones in his ears still.

“Are you excited, Captain?” Nobuyoshi hums, hitting Yuuji’s back when they enter Shiratorizawa’s volleyball gym-- after a couple minutes of watching their Equestrian club and staring at the horses.

(After a couple of inappropriate jokes involving horse dicks, they finally composed themselves and headed towards the gym.)

“I’m too excited,” Yuuji admitted, “I mean, talking to Karasuno’s pretty manager was easy--”

“What do you mean, easy? She didn’t want to talk to you, and their number 10 literally had to come in. That’s signs of being a dick, and a complete idiot at talking to people.” Kazuma snapped,

“Okay, _fine._ But I mean, Ushiwaka is... _Ushiwaka._ ”

“So, you’re whipped, that’s what you’re saying?”

“Yeah.”

“Good luck, my captain.”

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There matches were surprisingly fun against an National-going team, and Yuuji was surprised about how much knowledge and tips they had gotten from Shiratorizawa’s team, and coach.

Ushiwaka approached him at the end, right after they were finished cleaning up. Yuuji ignored the wolf whistles from his teammates behind him. “I heard that your teammates wanted to ‘hook us up’.” He said.

_Oh god._

“Uh, yeah? But I mean if you don’t want to be--” Yuuji stopped himself to think before he speaks.

“I’ve been hooked up before, but what kind?”

Yuuji looked at Ushiwaka in confusion. “What?”

“Are we bungee-jumping? Or parachuting? That’s an excellent experience but I’m not sure if you are strong enough to do that.”

Two things came to Yuuji’s mind:

  1. Ushiwaka seemed to be very dense.
  2. Where the _fuck_ did he do that? He knows for sure that Ushiwaka never left the prefecture aside from going to nationals.



“I...” Yuuji couldn’t cough up the courage to correct the man. “I’m not sure, what do you recommend?”

He can hear Takeharu’s voice by his ear, “Say it’s a date.”

“I’m not sure, I personally like bungee-jumping, but if you are scared of the feeling that you are going to fly out of your skin,” Ushiwaka hummed, and Terushima can hear little Takeuharu, which hangs by his right ear, whisper, “Imagine that hum when he’s sucking your dick.”

Yuuji shook his head, “Ah, you would rather have sky-diving? I’d expect someone like you to like something so adenturous.”

There was a hint of a smile, and Yuuji thought to himself, _so this is how I will die._

“I…” Yuuji closed his eyes in pain, “I don’t really want to go skydiving.” Ushiwaka tilted his head to the side, silently asking, _then what are you asking?_

“I want your number.” Yuuji puffed his chest out and tried to give himself confidence with each shuddering breath he took.

“My jersey number?” Ushiwaka asked, and Yuuji froze-- _Rintarou was fucking right._ “Well, before I graduated, the number I had was 1, you might get that too now that you’re a captain of your own team.” Ushiwaka nodded. “If you want tips on volleyball, I was watching your game, and your form is okay, maybe a little rough, but you have a year to work on it. Also you guys need to work on planning attacks more thoroughly. Just because you can think it’s a game doesn’t mean that you can’t plan it out.”

Yuuji smiled, “Thanks, I’ll work on it.”

Ushiwaka patted Yuuji’s head, “You’re a good kid.”

Yuuji let out a rough sound, “Thanks.” He coughed out.

  
  
  
  
  
  


 

 

 

 

 

 ** _> >From: Take-ho-ru [20:02]_** ** _  
_** _okay wait lemme just_ _  
_ _okay_ _  
_ _okay_ _  
_ _you had an actual conversation_ _  
_ _but then he did that thing rintarou said_ _  
_ _despite rintarou just completely joking and_ _  
_ _he_ actually _said that_

 ** _> >To: Take-ho-ru [20:02]_** ** _  
_** _i can’t believe it myself, tbh_ _  
_ _i froze_ _  
_ _but he complimented me_ _  
_ _so im g_

 ** _> >From: Take-ho-ru [20:07]_** ** _  
_** _good job_ _  
_ _not as good as me tho_ _  
_ _but good enough for you_

 ** _> >To: Take-ho-ru [20:07]_** ** _  
_** _just because_ _  
_ _im not a slut like you_ _  
_ _doesn’t mean that i cant pick ppl up too_

 ** _> >From: Take-ho-ru [20:11]_** ** _  
_** _you jealous bae?_ _  
_ _its okay i can share_ _  
_ _theres takeharu for everyone_

 ** _> >To: Take-ho-ru [20:12]_** ** _  
_** _you’ve got to be kidding me_ _  
_ _im probs gonna be a side ho anyways_

 ** _> >From: Take-ho-ru [20:17]_** ** _  
_** _you are captain_ _  
_ _and i was just kidding_ _  
_ _i don’t like wing spikers_ _  
_ _i have a thing for setters._ _  
_ _(;_

 ** _> >From: Take-ho-ru [21:22]_** ** _  
_** _but seriously?_ _  
_ _dont sweat it teru_ _  
_ _you got to talk to him and thats a feat you didnt do last time._ _  
_ _you can take it slow, theres no rush_

 ** _> >To: Take-ho-ru [21:23]_** ** _  
_** _…_ _  
_ _thanks_

 ** _> >From: Take-ho-ru [21:24]_** ** _  
_** _don’t worry, we got you when you fall._

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


_  
  
_

 

 

 

 

He had seen Ushijima the following weekend after the practice match, looking at catalogs for gardening and smiling that smile that definitely should be _illegal_ on his face.

Yuuji thought to himself, _maybe I should talk to him._

Then he thought, _but he looks really nice while reading that._

His final thought; _I suddenly want to learn more about farming._

Yuuji took a deep breath in, then breathed out, then strode over to Ushiwaka, who was situated near the plant and produce section of the book area.

“You like to farm?” He asked, in the most confident voice he could muster. Ushiwaka closed the magazine and looked at Terushima in the eyes.

_Ah-- my voice cracked._

“Yes, I do.” Ushijima replied, setting the book down. “I enjoy growing my own plants, and I like to garden. Do you?” The taller guy looked wary for a moment, “Or am I misunderstanding again?”

Yuuji stared back, “Ah- no you didn’t. I don’t have the time to farm, but it looks like a cool thing to do.”

“It’s calming, yes.” Ushijima casted a look to the side, and Yuuji felt his heart drop. “I usually care for my plants during break days, so I normally spend the day by myself and caring for the plants.”

“That’s nice,” Yuuji looked around, trying to find a way for their conversation to not end. “What’s your favourite plant?”

“I like sorrels and morning glories. Those are always nice to see.” Ushijima picked the book up again, “I’ll be buying this now, but I’ll see you later, Terushima.”

Yuuji held back his smile until Ushijima left the store.

  
  
  
  
  


 

 

 

 

 ** _> >To: Kazu-m8 [14:02]_** ** _  
_** _holy shit_ _  
_ _i talked to him_ _  
_ _and as we were talking_ _  
_ _he told me his favourite plants were sorrel and morning glory_ _  
_ _and i went home after and searched that up right_ _  
_ _THOSE MEAN AFFECTION_ _  
_ _HE LIKES ME_ _  
_ _ALSO HE CALLED ME BY MY NAME_

 ** _> >From: Kazu-m8 [14:20]_** ** _  
_** _ok_ _  
_ _first o all i jsut realizd wht u just said_ _  
_ _i got up like. 20 minutes ago ?_ _  
_ _but ok_ _  
_ _gj btw_ _  
_ _and also a lil on the creepy side_ _  
_ _but u didnt wimp out like we bet u would_ _  
_ _please tell this to takeharu we bet that you wouldnt even be able to talk to him th e nxt time u see him_ _  
_ _thnks_

 ** _> >To: Kazu-h8 [14:25]_** ** _  
_** _youre not my friend anymore._

 ** _> >From: Kazu-h8 [14:27]_** ** _  
_** _ok lol but we bet on free lunch for a week_ _  
_ _n braggin rights_ _  
_ _pls tell him_

 ** _> >To: Kazu-h8 [14:28]_** ** _  
_** _…_ _  
_ _okay_ _  
_ _but youre sharing that lunch with me_

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


 

 

 

 

**_You added Kazu-h8, Kat~tsumichi, Arata, piece of shit wing spiker, No-bi-yoshi and Take-ho-ru to a group chat._ **

**_> >From: Kazu-h8_** ** _  
_** _what_

 ** _> >From: No-bi-yoshi_** ** _  
_** _teru what the fuck did you do_

 ** _> >From: Arata_** ** _  
_** _he created a fucking group chat_

 ** _> >From: piece of shit wing spiker_** ** _  
_** _are you 12 cap_ _  
_ _also im surprised he added me_

 ** _> >From: Kat~tsumichi_** ** _  
_** _jesus i didnt even know that teru had all our numbers_

 ** _> >From: Arata_** ** _  
_** _can we just_ _  
_ _ask teru why the fuck_ _  
_ _he didnt just message us on line_ _  
_ _teru what the fuck_

 ** _> >To: Arata, Kat~tsumichi, piece of shit wing spiker, Kazu-h8, Take-ho-ru, No-bi-yoshi_** ** _  
_** _sorry i fucked up_

 ** _> >From: Arata_** ** _  
_** _no shit_

 _> >_ ** _From: Take-ho-ru_** ** _  
_** _goddamn it cap_ _  
_ _i was trying to hit up niiyama’s setter_ _  
_ _but no you had to open this fucking group chat_ _  
_ _and she thought_ _  
_ _i had a girlfriend and i was lying to her_

 ** _> >From: Arata_** ** _  
_** _you do have a girlfriend_

 ** _> >From: Take-ho-ru_** ** _  
_** _nah we broke up yesterday_

 ** _> >To: Arata, Kat~tsumichi, piece of shit wing spiker, Kazu-h8, Take-ho-ru, No-bi-yoshi_** ** _  
_** _jesus i just talked to ushi today and you went through 3 setters the past month_ _  
_ _you ho_

 _> >_ ** _From: Take-ho-ru_** ** _  
_** _you know it (;_ _  
_ _WAIT_ _  
_ _YOU TALKED TO COW BOY_ ** _  
_****_> >From: piece of shit wing spiker_** **_  
_** _ded_

 ** _> >To: Arata, Kat~tsumichi, piece of shit wing spiker, Kazu-h8, Take-ho-ru, No-bi-yoshi_** ** _  
_** _…_ _  
_ _(:_

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He sees Ushijima for the third time in a month when he’s out with his team.

Well, _supposed_ to be.

Yuuji bit his lip, looking at Ushiwaka awkwardly. “I’m...sorry, my setter is such a... flirt.”

Ushiwaka laughed, “It’s okay, Eita ends up being approached by a lot of people because of his hair. It’s unfortunate, really.”

_He’s so cute holy shit I cannot believe I’m thinking that a literal giant like him is cute this is so bad holy shit holy shit holyshitshitshitshitshit._

“That sucks for Semi-san, though.”

“Yeah,” Ushiwaka glanced at Yuuji, who was still watching as Takeharu kept on trying to talk to Semi, and when that didn’t work, he moved onto Shirabu. “So what are you doing here?”

“I’m here with my friends,” Yuuji loosely gestures to where Rintarou should be behind him, probably still checking out snapbacks and trying them on in the mirror, his other teammates also _probably_ getting kicked out of a clothing store for the nth time. “But we got separated.”

“Ah, that’s nice. I’m just with Goshiki, Semi and Shirabu.” Ushiwaka held his bag up, “I was helping them choose some good fitness clothes, since it’s nice to always change your uniforms once in awhile, if you use them a lot they can wear out much faster.”

“Oh, I had that problem before.” Yuuji laughed, “Katsumichi wouldn’t let me live it down that my shorts had a rip in them right before the practice match, so I had to borrow Takeharu’s shorts that were _waay too short_ for a reason I didn’t want to ask.”

Ushiwaka chuckled. “Tendou had the same problem, But Eita was the only one who had spare shorts, but it was pink, and had Hello Kitty on the butt of it, but it fit Tendou _perfectly._ ” His eyes glazed for a moment, remembering the memory, “Everyone had been questioning him about why he had that pair, and he said that his older sister had put it in his bag as a joke, but forgot to take it out.”

Yuuji snorted, “That must’ve been a sight to see.”

Ushiwaka looked down at Yuuji, eyes curiously darting around him. “Is something on my face?” Yuuji joked.

“I didn’t realize you had a tongue piercing.”

Yuuji froze.

“It’s nice.”

Yuuji held back a sound that almost sounded like a dying swan, “Thanks.” He choked out, “I got it when I was in my first year, because I thought it’d would be a cool high school debut, type of thing.”

“That’s nice,” Ushiwaka hummed.

Yuuji was really, _really_ close to dying right then and there.

“I think he killed him.” Yuuji heard behind him,

“Definitely.”

“Are you okay?” Ushiwaka asked, waving his hand in front of Yuuji’s face.

_I want to suck your fingers._

“I’m okay,” Yuuji laughed, stepping back and rubbing the back of his neck, trying to hid the rising colour. “I just got distracted. Thanks.”

“Oh, okay.”

“Well,” He paused, pretending to hear something, “I think I hear Nobuyoshi getting into a fight again because he witnessed another person being sexually harassed, so I need to help him out.” He cracked his knuckles playfully and winked.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


 

 

 ** _> >From: No-bi-yoshi [22:11]_** ** _  
_** _did you tell ushijima something???_ _  
_ _reon messaged me and asked if i was okay_

 ** _> >To: No-bi-yoshi [22:12]_** ** _  
_** _??????_ _  
_ _do you_ _  
_ _keep in touch with Benkei_ _  
_ _of all people_

**_You are unable to message this person_ **

**_> >To: No-bi-yoshi [22:13]_** ** _  
_** _did you really just block me because you wont answer my question_ _  
_ _theres screening for a reason_ ** _  
  
_**

  
  
  
  
  
  


 

 

 

 

 

 ** _> >From: Unknown Number [3:44] _****_  
_** _Hello, I know this is late, but I wanted to ask if you were okay. You did say you were going to fight. Or insinuate it._ _  
_ _Oh, this is Ushijima Wakatoshi by the way._

 ** _> >To: (arm flexing emoji)(hearts emoji) [3:50]_** ** _  
_** _Oh, yeah._ _  
_ _I’m okay!_ _  
_ _Thanks for asking!_

 ** _> >From: (arm flexing emoji)(heart eyes emoji) [3:55]_** ** _  
_** _Oh you’re up this early? You should sleep, tomorrow is Monday._ _  
_ _You have school._

 ** _> >To: (arm flexing emoji)(heart eyes emoji) [4:00]_** ** _  
_** _No it’s okay, haha. I sleep this late a lot. I’m used to it._ _  
_ _(:_

“Did I just use a fucking smiley face?” Yuuji groaned tiredly. “The things you do for love..” When Ushiwaka didn’t respond for the next three minutes, Yuuji fell back asleep.

  
  
  
  
  
  


 

 

 

 

Yuuji realized something, when he woke up that morning and looking over his short conversation with the previous ace.

_Why was he awake at 3 am?_

And;

_Thank you Nobuyoshi._

  
  
  


 

 

 

 ** _> >From: (arm flexing emoji)(heart eyes emoji) [11:45]_** ** _  
_** _If you were to choose a flower to describe me, what would it be?_ _  
_ _I’m asking for a friend_

 ** _> >To: (arm flexing emoji)(heart eyes emoji) [11:45]_** ** _  
_** _gladiolus_ _  
_ _strength of character, honor_

 ** _> >From: (arm flexing emoji)(heart eyes emoji) [11:46]_** ** _  
_** _That was quick._ _  
_ _Can you just immediately remember flowers and their meanings?_

 ** _> >To: (arm flexing emoji)(heart eyes emoji) [11:47]_** ** _  
_** _nah_ _  
_ _but it reminded me of you_ _  
_ _my question though is that_ _  
_ _what flower would you use to describe me?_

 ** _> >From: (arm flexing emoji)(heart eyes emoji) [11:50]_** ** _  
_** _I don’t know you well enough to really have a firm idea of your floral counterpart, but…_ _  
_ _I’d say a snap dragon._ _  
_ _Wild and it sticks out in a good way_ _  
_ _But really it’s a docile flower_ _  
_ _It’s also very beautiful._ _  
_ _(:_

“Holy shit.”

 ** _> >To: (arm flexing emoji)(heart eyes emoji) [11:51]_** ** _  
_** _are you complimenting me?_ _  
_ _if you are, thanks_ _  
_ _(:_

 ** _> >From: (arm flexing emoji)(heart eyes emoji) [11:51]_** ** _  
_** _I’m only stating the obvious._

“What. The. _Fuck.”_

 ** _> >From: (arm flexing emoji)(heart eyes emoji) [12:11] _****_  
_** _I’m sorry. Tendou was on my phone._ _  
_ _Did he say anything to you?_

 ** _> >To: (arm flexing emoji)(heart eyes emoji) [12:13]_** ** _  
_** _what_

 ** _> >From: (arm flexing emoji)(heart eyes emoji) [12:15]_** ** _  
_** _Tendou stole my phone and started texting you with it, while we were talking_ _  
_ _I didn’t realize that he was texting you until he burst into laughter._ _  
_ _I’m sorry, he probably made you uncomfortable._

 ** _> >From: (arm flexing emoji)(heart eyes emoji) [12:16]_** ** _  
_** _hahaa…_ _  
_ _its nothing_ _  
_ _i thought it was just a joke anyways_ _  
_ _hahaha_

 ** _> >To: (arm flexing emoji)(heart eyes emoji) [12:17]_** ** _  
_** _I didn’t think he’d be sending you everything that I said._


	2. you reached the end, you are the winner

The most sensible thing to do for Yuuji, after a few minutes of heavy breathing and rereading Ushiwaka’s message over and over again, was to immediately block his number from his phone and run out of his room.

He opened the door to his brother’s room, who jumped in his seat and immediately shut down his laptop, but Yuuji knows that his brother never looks at porn if their mom is home, so he tosses his phone to his brother.

“Are you okay?” His brother asks, catching his phone easily. “You can tell me if something happened.”

“It’s nothing,” Yuuji replied, distracted. “I just need time away from my phone, you know. Kids these days spend too much time on their phones, I’m going to go out and get some fresh air, maybe exercise.”

“You’re on the volleyball team.” His brother points out,

“Yes, and I haven’t done my workout today.” Yuuji countered. “I’ll be back in a couple hours, tell mom that, okay?”

“Okay,” His brother sighs, opening his drawer called _Yuuji’s hidden possessions._ “I’m running out of space in this damn thing, so take some stuff back.”

“No.” Yuuji frowned, “I’ll keep it until I’m ready to face them again, and _you can’t make me face them.”_

“Yuuji…”

“YOU CAN’T MAKE ME.” Yuuji took in a deep breath, “I’ll be heading over towards Kazuma’s, bye.”

“Love you~!”

“Yeah, whatever.” Yuuji cracked a smile. “Love you too.”

  
  
  
  
  


 

 

 

 

 

“Tell me why you’re here, Sunday afternoon on a day off, _dressed in sports clothes._ ” Kazuma looked like he was on his last string with his friend, captain, teammate. “We aren’t going to exercise, I’m done. I’m quitting the team.”

Before Yuuji could even explain his attire, Takeharu strolled up behind Kazuma with a sheet wrapped around his body, and curled his arms around Kazuma’s waist, the latter replying by resting his hands on Takeharu’s head, and on the hands that were intertwined, “Babe, let’s go back to bed.”

“Shh,” Kazuma replied, kissing Takeharu’s temple, “Teru is here, see?”  

“I’m not letting him join us.” Takeharu replied tiredly, “it’s our time together.”

Yuuji screamed.

“But- you,” He pointed to Takeharu with shaking hands, “you like _setters._ ”

“I found out that Kazuma was a setter in junior high,” One problem solved, Yuuji guessed.

“You…” Yuuji can’t wrap his mind around it. “You like Oikawa Tooru. You can’t like Kazuma, you’re literally... _what._ And Kazuma is like… uh… meh.” Takeharu looked surprised for a moment, and Yuuji shrugged his shoulders, _I know you did like him, you idiot._

“Okay, _ouch._ ”

“What can I say,” Takeharu smiled gently, looking into Kazuma’s eyes. “I didn’t really realize how handsome he was upclose, I like his brown hair all messy, especially in the morning.” The two of them leaned forward, nuzzling their noses. “It was like Oikawa Tooru didn’t exist.”

Yuuji would’ve thought the gesture was cute, if it wasn’t so _disgusting and horrifying and really_ **_fucking disturbing._ **

Yuuji opened his mouth to say something, then bit his lip into a thin line, trying to think of the words.

After a couple minutes of mindless nose nuzzles and Yuuji standing before them, listening to them whisper sweet nothings. “This is a joke.” He finally states. Kazuma and Takeharu looked at each other, before bursting into laughter.

“Yeah it is.”

“Sorry about that, Cap.”

“Anyways,” Kazuma and Takeharu made way for Yuuji to step into Kazuma’s house, “what did you come here for?”

“I blocked Ushiwaka.”

Yuuji’s two friends looked at him for a moment, then at each other. “You’re joking.” They said.

“Nope.” Yuuji shrugged, “It didn’t work out.”

Yuuji barely dodges the pair of hands headed right towards his neck. “You’re. Fucking. Lying.” Kazuma hisses, “Are you fucking kidding me?”

Yuuji threw his hands up into the air, and jumps out of the way when Takeharu lunges at him. “I’m not lying!” Yuuji exclaimed, “I blocked him on my phone, then I gave it to my brother.”

“You…” Takeharu took a deep breath in, “Holy _shit.”_ It went on for a couple moments, the setter and middle blocker both trying to chase after Yuuji in blind anger, under Yuuji was on the stairs holding a golf club in defense, against his bloodthirsty teammates.

“Let me explain what happened before you murder me,” Yuuji let out in a single breath, already tired.

“...Fine.”

  
  
  
  
  


 

 

 

 

After the explanation, Yuuji held his arms up as a dome, trying to protect his face from the hits. “You’re so...stupid.” Takeharu sighed out, rolled his eyes and crawled onto Kazuma’s bed. “Wake me up when he stops being such an idiot.”

“I don’t blame you,” Kazuma starts off, when they finally hear soft snores coming from his bed. “I honestly don’t, but I’m certainly sure that there could have been better ways to have reacted to that.”

“I panicked.” Yuuji groaned out. “I’m not good with people, not with girls, and not with guys I like.”

“It’s okay, I’m here.” Kazuma patted his captain’s back comfortingly.

“You’re worse. Don’t forget that you ended up joining me when we fucked our chances with Karasuno’s  manager.”

(A soft, tired voice whispers behind them, _it’s because you two aren’t good with dealing with anyone.)_

“I know,” Kazuma’s voice is soft, the only times he would use it would just be in times like these, when they’d be talking about a serious topic like this.

“I’m not good with people, not like Takeharu.” Yuuji sighed out, leaning his head on the edge of Kazuma’s bed and covering his face.

( _“Damn right you aren’t.”_ The voice behind them hisses in soft snores again.)

“You have to try and talk to Ushiwaka about this, you know.” Kazuma said, “We don’t have much time left, he’d going to go far away, probably on a volleyball scholarship, maybe even overseas. You can’t spend your time dwelling on would-be’s when they can be is-actually’s.”

“Besides,” Kazuma scoffed, “Takeharu hooks up with so many people, of course he’s so good at talking, but I bet that he wasn’t as good in the beginning. We all start from somewhere.”

( _“Excuse me but I was always good at speaking to people, stop saying such slander.”)_

“I’m surprised Takeharu is still a virgin,” Yuuji laughed, “At least, with one side.”

( _“Who told you.”)_

“He’s a virgin?” Kazuma exclaimed, the both of them knew that Takeharu was awake anyways. “I never expected that. Maybe it was because his boyfriends and girlfriends thought he had stds or something.”

Takeharu sat up, ears flushed red and face dusted with pink. “Okay, shut up.” He took Kazuma’s puillow and smacked him with it, “And I’m a virgin by _choice._ You haters. I’m waiting for a chance, with someone special.”

They all know who it is, and there’s a small silence that hangs over them. “I know it’s not going to happen, I see the way he looks at his wing spiker.” Takeharu sighed. “But it doesn’t hurt to pretend that I have a chance,” He smiled, edges turned up and it didn’t quite seem genuine. “Also, safe sex is good sex. I’m too broke to afford condoms.”

“At least we know that you are clean, hopefully.”

  
  
  
  


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The next day, volleyball practice had been cancelled and Yuuji was well on his way out of his school, the cherry blossoms falling steadily down and Yuuji thinks to himself, wow, this scene is just asking for something.

He stopped in his steps, stared forward in horror for the person that settled himself at the gates of the school, looking down at his phone and smiling.

This was illegal, Ushiwaka’s smile is _illegal._ This entire scene should not be allowed.

Yuuji had two options; one, go quickly into the artroom, dye his hair brown, then pretend he was someone different, or two, run the opposite direction and decide that taking an extra 30 minutes to get home was worth it.

The third option was unspeakable.

“Oh shit,” He whispered to himself. “Oh my god.”

Katsumichi stopped in his conversation with Rintarou to look forward, where Yuuji had been staring in fear. He snickered, “Well, looks like he’s gonna want to talk to someone.”

Yuuji pulled the two of them by the arms and led them out of Ushiwaka’s sight, then let out a sound from the back of his throat, “We didn’t even talk a lot, we don’t even _know_ each other. Just five weeks ago, he was thirsting over Oikawa Tooru in some odd way that amounted to wanting him on his team.”

“Okay, but to be completely honest,” Rintarou cuts in, “Everyone is thirsty for Oikawa Tooru. If not him, then it’s his wing spiker boyfriend of his. Personally, since I’m straight but I’m just saying, I like Iwaizumi.”

“Okay, sure.” Yuuji replied, “I like the wing spiker, Kyoutani? _Damn.”_

“Stay in your lane,” Katsumichi pointed vaguely to where Ushiwaka was still standing. “You’re gonna probably be with that guy over there, in God knows how long, let me say this. No matter who you think you might land, and based on your actions the past 3 months, you probably can’t even do it if you were Haru with a liking for wing spikers.”

“Rude,” Yuuji muttered, “But honestly? I don’t think Ushiwaka feels anything, he might just feel guilty or something, and want to talk to me about it.”

“You’re probably right.” Rintarou hummed, “But...it doesn’t hurt to try it, right?”

“Not today, please.” Yuuji begged, “I’ll face him next time, but right now I’m not ready. I can’t handle this right now.”

Rintarou looked Yuuji in the eye, and nodded with a sigh. “Okay, fine.”

Katsumichi leaned on Yuuji’s shoulders, “Are you going to be okay?”

“Yeah, I just need a breather.” Yuuji took a deep breath, “Let’s go home, hey?”

They nodded, casting unsure glances at each other.

  
  
  
  


 

 

 

 

 

Life was a difficult thing to go through, Yuuji realized when he stares at the whole new number on his phone, a week after getting it back, and letting out a noise that he didn’t even know he could let out.

 **_> >From: Unknown [19:04]_ ** ****  
**** _This is Ushijima Wakatoshi._ _  
_ _I wanted to ask you why you blocked me._

Yuuji wanted to scream. So he did, and proceeded to black that number too, and blocked other numbers that had come his way from Ushijima, and other Shiratorizawa-related people, onto his phone.

  


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Two weeks later, with Ushijima waiting outside the school gates after Yuuji’s volleyball practices almost _daily,_ everyone began to get fed up with this.

“Let me shoot him with a dart and drag him to the countryside.” Takeharu begged them, ducking behind the pus. “I have a bamboo spitter sitting on a pedestal in my room just waiting for it.”

“You are not going to tranquilize the previous captain of our rival team.” Kazuma hissed, “Shiratorizawa is a rich fucking school, and we’re not going to sabotage our farm for the sake of one cow.”

“You should really talk to him,” Arata comments. “School security is gonna think he’s a predator, and you’re gonna get him in trouble.”

“I can say that he’s stalking me…” Yuuji whispered. “That’ll get him to go away”

_“You are not going to get Miyagi’s top spiker thrown in jail because you’re too scared to face him.”_

“It’s been three weeks since you even got to look at him,”

“Between the first and second time we talked, it was around three months.”

“Okay but you guys got closer right? You guys started talking a lot since he got your number.”

Yuuji thought back to it, their conversations between Ushiwaka’s sudden concern between the Flower Incident had been scarce. Mostly Ushijima asking about their training schedule, some small talk about homework, and other school related topics.

It didn’t stop Yuuji’s heart from beating slightly faster than it had.

“I mean,” Yuuji replied weakly, “our conversations didn’t really do anything.”

“But Ushiwaka is as dense as three hundred year old trees.” Takeharu pointed out. “Him trying to find out more stuff about you? That’s probably the closest you’ll get.”

“What do you mean?”

Yuuji refrained from swinging to hit Rintarou’s arm when the wing spiker started humming that english song he was obsessed with.

“I mean,” Takeharu looked above the bush and pointed to where Ushiwaka was _still_ standing, “he’s probably wanting to get closer to you but knowing him, and his obsession with volleyball, like all the _other fucking people in this goddamn prefecture,_ that’s the closest thing he can do without being too awkward. Common interests, yenno?”

Yuuji shook his head and waved him off, “Nah.” _It’s possible._

“I’m literally the person with the most experience with boys _and_ girls. I’m the one who hasn’t gotten rejected yet, or interfered with small balls of fire and their manager because I know the difference between being a fuckboy and being someone who genuinely wants to pursue a person. _You’re_ the one dismissing my opinion without a second thought?”

“Savage.”

“Holy shit.”

“Haru the Hardass.”

“Slaaaay.”

Yuuji flushed, “Okay. I’ll consider it. But what if he just wanted to know? It would be weird if I just assumed that he wanted to hit me up.”

“Why are you avoiding him so feverently?” Nobuyoshi asked, not even bothering to lower the volume of his voice “I’d understand if he did something bad, or you did something bad, but from what you showed us, from your conversation, it looks pretty normal.”

“I don’t know.” Yuuji patted the ground in a hopeless attempt to clean it, before laying down and resisting the urge to scream. He’s been screaming an awful lot lately. “I mean, it’d be cool to talk to him now, but I think I ended up putting it off. What if he’s so angry that he wants to beat me up?”

“Ushiwaka?” Rintarou nearly exclaimed.”Sleeping calm giant? The guy who literally only hypes up when he’s playing volleyball?” He rolled his eyes, and pulled his phone out of his pocket with a low groan. “Yeah, sure. He’ll beat you up if you decided to prevent his team from getting to a game and sabotaging all of Shiratorizawa’s volleyballs.” He let out a bitter laugh, “Even worse, be Karasuno’s number 10. There’s some serious beef between the two of them now,”

Yuuji coughed out a weak noise,  but Rintarou continued his rant. “There is literally nothing you can do, with your abilities, that would piss off Ushiwaka. I’m pretty sure you are deemed as a good person in his eyes. And in his eyes? Satori Tendou is also a good person. There isn’t anything that could put you on his bad books if _Satori fucking Tendou is there.”_ Yuuji closed his eyes, covering them from the sun that shone above him and groaned.

“Hahaha.” Yuuji heard, and the chatter of his teammates stopped. He waited for a couple moments before the voice came again. “Hahahaha.”

“Why aren’t you guys talking about Ushiwaka and this shitty situation--” Yuuji sat up, rubbing his eyes. When he opened them, he saw brown eyes glancing down at him curiously.

“What about me, and the apparently ‘shitty situation’?” By this time, Yuuji was so tired he couldn’t scream.

“I- You-..” He looked to where he was previously standing, a good 200 meters away from the bush they were hiding behind. “You… what.”

Ushiwaka cracked the barest smile, and Yuuji wanted to punch him. Illegal. It’s just… so illegal.

“I’ve been looking for you.” Ushiwaka says. “I need to talk to you.”

“Bye.” Takeharu and Kazuma whispered,before running off with the other second years.

“I blocked you.” Yuuji said, and he’s not sure if it’s to recap or to fix this surreal emotion. “You’re still here.”

“I need to talk to you.”Ushiwaka repeats again. “Why did you block me?”

“I did block you.”

“Yes. You did. Why?”

“I blocked you.”

“Yes.”

Ushiwaka’s patience, his stoic face, and his posture never changed. “I blocked you.” Yuuji feels like he could do this all day, until Ushiwaka’s parents call him home.

“Terushima.” Yuuji flinched, “Why did you block me? Did I make you uncomfortable? I’m sorry if I did.”

Ushiwaka looked at his watch (which, for Yuuji, was a sight to see on a spiker), and let out a disappointed sigh. “It’s late, you should go home.”

Yuuji nodded, waiting for Ushiwaka to move out of the way for a moment before getting up. The two of them walked along of the sidewalk to the gate of the school, until the silence between them felt like torture because the beating of Yuuji’s heart felt as if it were going to pop out his chest.

Well-- to be _honest,_ being without a heart would definitely make things easier.

“You didn’t make me uncomfortable.” Yuuji muttered, “I just panicked.” When they reached the exit of the school, Yuuji ran as fast as he could. He knew that Ushijima could’ve caught up with him in a second if he wanted to, but thankfully, he left him alone.

When he came home later that evening, he took his phone out and unblocked Ushiwaka’s number. But the others weren’t on his priority list.

  
  
  


 

 

 

 

 

 **_> >From: (arm flexing emoji) (heart eyes emoji) [15:03]_ ** **_  
_ ** **** _Sorry, again._

 **_> >To: (arm flexing emoji) (heart eyes emoji) [15:15]_ ** ****  
**** _It’s okay! Don’t worry about it._ _  
_ _But I have to go, sorry. My mom is calling me._

She wasn’t.

 ****  
  
  
  
  
  


 

 

 

 

 

 

Ushiwaka doesn’t text him again for a couple days.

 ****  
  
  


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 **_> >From: (arm flexing emoji) (heart eyes emoji) [17:10]_ ** **_  
_ ** **** _Do you want to meet up? Like for some coffee? I want to talk to you about something._

 **_> >To: (arm flexing emoji) (heart eyes emoji) [17:50]_ ** **_  
_ ** **** _Sorry, I have practice._

 **_> >From: (arm flexing emoji) (heart eyes emoji) [17:51]_ ** **_  
_ ** **** _I didn’t say when, though._

 **_> >To: (arm flexing emoji) (heart eyes emoji)  [18:21]_ ** **_  
_ ** **** _I still have practice._

Yuuji gulped down the rest of his soup, and threw his phone onto his desk. “I have to man up.” He whispered, slapping himself on the face. “I can’t keep on avoiding him.”

There was another ring from his phone, but he wasn’t the ringtone he had set for Ushiwaka.

 **_> >From: Kazu-m8 [12:33]_ ** ****  
**** _get u r sh it together fam_  
_ushiwaka just smged me abt some shit abt u_ _  
_ i jsut owke up idk what it said

 **_> >To: Kazu-m8 [12:33]_ ** **_  
_ ** **** _what_

 **_> >From: Kazu-m8 [12:35]_ ** ****  
**** _talk to him jfc_  
_i dont even know how he fucking got my nymber_ _  
_ ur dating a stalker fam

 **_> >To: Kazu-m8 [12:37]_ ** ****  
**** _well_ _  
_ _he asked me if i could meet him_

 **_> >From: Kazu-m8 [12:38]_ ** **_  
_ ** **** _???? what u say_

 **_> >To: Kazu-m8 [12:44]_ ** ****  
**** _…_ _  
_ _i rejected him_

 **_> >From: Kazu-m8 [12:44]_ ** **_  
_ ** **** _I M GPNA N KICK UR FU CKI NG A S S_

There was an icon that popped up, the sign that Kazuma wanted to call him in his fit of sleepy rage.

“Tell me why you did that.” Kazuma’s voice was tired and completely, utterly, _done._ “There is literally no reason to reject him other than the fact that you are being a wimpy piece of shit.”

His speech was slightly slurred, words tumbling out his mouth that wasn’t quite articulate. “I don’t know what to do.” Yuuji tried to explain, but Kazuma replied with a loud, tired groan, and more profanity that he’d normally use.

“I’m… I’m going to bring Haru into this call.”

“Okay.” There was a moment of a ring before Haru picked up.

“Haru, Teru is being shitty again.”

“Okay, _I am not--”_

 _“Who is this?”_ A voice came from Takeharu’s side. “Are you guys the ones who keep bothering _my_ Haru? Just so you know, he wants me, and he doesn’t want _you.”_

Yuuji let a laugh escape his throat, fully knowing what this meant.

They don’t know.

“Lady, who are you?” Kazuma’s voice took on a higher pitch, imitating her irritated tone. “Haru called me last night, _and_ he called Teru too, asking for the three of us to meet up.” His voice took on a suggestive tone.

“ _What--?”_  

“We’re the only ones that are allowed to treat him like this.” Yuuji plays along, “He wouldn’t let anybody else treat him like the way _we_ treat him.”

In the background,  there are heavy footsteps and then silence. “What are you doing on my phone.” Takeharu stated. “You’re on my phone.”

“I thought-- this girl was calling you.” The lady Yuuji didn’t know stammered. “I thought she was those girls who wanted a booty call.”

“If they did, does that mean you have to answer it? What gives you the right?”

“Haru, _I am your girlfriend--”_

 _“_ You are a girl who I let suck my dick, and who let me eat her out, purely because you wanted it, and you told me you played setter in your junior high career.” Takeharu’s voice was cold, and Yuuji felt bad for the girl. Takaharu continued, “If you weren’t either, I wouldn’t even have looked at you.”

The lady let out an indignant squawk, and Takeharu let out a laugh. “If you’re going to throw my phone, go ahead. I don’t really care.”

“You… You’re not even cute.” The lady tried saving her face. “I don’t even know what I saw in you!” She yelled out the words, causing Yuuji to pull his phone away from his ear.

“I think it was something about my tongue.” Takeharu hummed, “Maybe my smile? I don’t, but last night you told me a lot of things.”

“I thought you liked me!”

“I liked your boobs, sure. Your ass too, but I honestly thought your personality was a little less… petty.” Yuuji imagines the smug smile Takeharu has on his face when he starts winning at Monopoly, and the evil tone he takes when he hassles people for their money. He feels really bad for this lady, but not really.

The lady sniffled, and on Takeharu’s line, there was a loud thud and the sound of footsteps running off.

There was a moment of silence before Takeharu picked up his phone. “Ah~? She didn’t mute it?” He snickered, “Sorry guys, I didn’t mean for you to hear.”

“I mean..” Kazuma drifted off, “now we know what to _not_ to do, because you’re really scary. Nice use of receipts,”

“Thanks,” Takeharu hummed, “learned it from you.”

“I love you~!”

“I love you too~~!”

“I hate you guys.” Yuuji muttered.

“We love you~~!” The other two sang.

 ****  
  
  
  


 

 

 

“Anyways, why’d you guys call me?”

“So, Teru is being a piece of shit.” Kazuma replied.

“I am not!”

“Ushiwaka asked him out, but he rejected him.” Takeharu was silent, and Yuuji feared for what he was gonna say.

“Why?” Takeharu’s voice wasn’t angry, or teasing, but it was just genuinely curious and Yuuji let out a sigh of relief.

“I… don’t know.” Yuuji felt scared, as if getting close to Ushiwaka would ultimately mean that he would be on the target for a secret assassination Shiratorizawa as a whole had planned for him. “I’m scared.”

“I bet.”

“I blocked him.”

“Yep.”

“But I unblocked him, but I’m still scared to see him.”

“Why?”

“I feel like they’re going to kill me.”

“Teru, worst thing that’s going to happen? He’s going to tell you off and he won’t ever talk to you.” His tone was softer than usual, and Yuuji can’t help but feel like it was because of the girl from earlier. “Best thing? He will ask you to marry him and you two will have volleyball loving, party crazy adopted children that your brother will most likely have to look after for the first few months because you’ll be too busy travelling around with Ushiwaka.

“He’s most likely going to Tokyo, you know. There’s that, and the fact he might go abroad. IF you’re actually curious about what he was going to say, then you should go before it’s too late.”

“Don’t be so scared that you’re giving up chances. Life is like a volleyball game, you save some points, you lose some points, you win some points. In your case also, you get hit in the face with balls.”

There was a moment of realization when Kazuma added that in, and the three boys started to snicker.

“But seriously, Ushiwaka isn’t that much of an asshole to just lead you on-- maybe dense enough to do it by accident, but that’s it.”

“Should I meet up with him?”

“Yeah, you should. But you have to make that decision whether you want to or not.”

“...I love you guys.”

“Yeah? Well, same.”

“Meh…” Takeharu teased, “I like someone else more, but you guys are a close second.”

 ****  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 **_> >To: (arm flexing emoji) (heart eyes emoji) [18:09]_ ** **_  
_ ** **** _Is that coffee meeting still up?_

 **_> >From: (arm flexing emoji) (heart eyes emoji) [18:10]_ ** ****  
**** _Yes._ _  
_ _But I thought you had practice?_

 **_> >To: (arm flexing emoji) (heart eyes emoji) [18:11]_ ** **_  
_ ** **** _When do you want to meet up?_

 **_> >From: (arm flexing emoji) (heart eyes emoji)  [18:18]_ ** **_  
_ ** **** _….Next Saturday? I don’t have practice. I’ll meet you after school._

 **_> >To: (arm flexing emoji) (heart eyes emoji) [18:19]_ ** **_  
_ ** **** _Okay_

 ****  
  
  
  
  


 

 

 

 

 

 

Yuuji hates admitting he’s nervous. He’d rather just be pumped up-- he’d rather be hyped and feel like everything is a game.

These past coming months don’t feel like games, and Yuuji feels tired.

He waits by the gates impatiently, tapping his foot and checking his phone. The people that walk past him stare at him with wary faces, pulling their children to their chests and whispering, “Don’t get too close to him, he looks dangerous.”

He’s too tired to stare at the parent and smile like he always does, showing off his piercing. Sometimes, the kid would gape and stare at him in awe, or would imitate the parent’s sour look.

Once, a kid flipped him off. That was amazing.

Ushiwaka comes up to him with quiet steps, and Yuuji wouldn’t notice he was there if his shadow didn’t tower over him. “Thanks for blocking the sun for me.” His lips turn up just slightly, and the way Ushiwaka shifts makes Yuuji think that his smirk would have the same effect on Ushiwaka.

Nah.

He ignores that Ushiwaka is dressed in casual clothes, and he looks better in those than his school uniform. He ignores the feeling in the pit of his stomach that he is going to _die._

 ****  
  
  
  


 

 

 

 

 

The coffee shop they go to is cute. It’s down the street with a little cat paw in the title of the place. “Wow,” He drawls out. “When’d you find this place?”

“I was told it was good.”

“Have you went here?” Ushiwaka shook his head. “Well this will be fun~!”

“You drink coffee?” Ushiwaka asks, when they finish ordering. “I don’t normally, it feels weird for me while I diet,”

“You diet?”

“Yeah, just a balance of carbs to my fruits and meats. I don’t drink coffee that occasionally.” Ushiwaka looked around for a moment, “I heard that coffee ruins your health, so I tend to abstain from it.”

“Ah, yeah.” Yuuji shrugged. When the waiter came along with their drinks, Yuuji dove right into it. “I sleep late a lot, so I drink coffee to just stay away in the morning. It helps, I guess. In my first year, I used to never be able to get out of bed unless there was the smell of coffee in my house.” Ushiwaka looked uncomfortable for a moment, eyeing the coffee cup in his hand. “I’m better now! I don’t drink it nearly as much.”

Ushiwaka nodded, and took a sip of his tea. “Tea has just as much caffeine, if not more.”

“I pour a lot of sugar in mine, it’s a bad habit.”

Ushiwaka’s lips turned up. “Ah, so you like it really sweet? I don’t like mine too sweet, because the biscuits I eat with them are usually sweet enough.”

“What kind of biscuits do you like?”

“It depends,” Ushiwaka hummed, “maybe cheese biscuits. Those are my favourite.”

There was a comfortable silence between the two of them as their food came. A ham sandwich for Yuuji and some biscuits for Ushiwaka.

“I need to talk to you,”

“Isn’t that why we’re here?”

“I’m going abroad for University,” Ushiwaka continues, “There was a university in Ireland that had recruited me.”

Yuuji had a sudden thought of Ushiwaka coming back to Japan with an irish accent and swears every second word, and had to hold back his laughter. “You’re going there?”

“It would be nice.” He nodded. “I have to go right after exams.”

Yuuji gulped, “Really? That’s cool.”

Ushiwaka nodded again. “I… wanted to tell you.”

“Thanks.”

They sat in silence again, as they ate their food and the weight of their words hung above them. “Why did you decide to tell me? I’m not particularly close to you.”

Ushiwaka hummed, “I felt like I had to.” Yuuji nodded. “I feel like you’re an important person to me, but we haven’t talked all that much.”

Yuuji gulped, and he can hear Takeharu’s voice nudging him forward. _Just tell him._

“I…” Yuuji starts off, and Ushiwaka looked at him with his full attention. “I li…”

“You..?”

“I like this sandwich.” Yuuji blurted out, ears turning pink and heat rising up his neck. “You want a bite?”

Yuuji screamed internally when Ushiwaka bent over the table to bite the sandwich Yuuji held out. “It is good.” He says, covering his mouth as he chews.

“So, do you have any plans this summer, after exams?” Ushiwaka asked, but Yuuji couldn’t hear anything over the berating comments towards himself. “Terushima?”

_Just say you like him, it’s simple. I like you, I like you--_

“I like you.” Yuuji blurted out.

Yuuji froze, processing the fact that he just said that… _out loud._ “Wait-” Ushiwaka held his hand out, “You like me?”

Yuuji bolted. He took the money out for his food out his pocket and ran out, making sure Ushiwaka would stay behind to pick up the fallen bills.

He screamed as he ran down the streets.

 ****  
  
  
  


 

 

 

 

 

He stops at a park when the sun is about to set. He remembered it as a place he would frequently visit with his parents.

“You should’ve told me that you wanted to run after,” Ushiwaka commented, walking towards Yuuji and settling himself on the swing beside him. “Terushima…”

“If you want to forget about it, it’s fine.” Yuuji muttered, burying his face in his  hands and groaning.

“I never witnessed someone running and screaming for so long.” Ushiwaka says. “It was surprising.”

Yuuji looked up at Ushiwaka, who was staring back at him. “You surprise me in the weirdest ways, you know.” He pushed himself on the swing, “I had to ask my teammates more than once on how to react and deal with you.”

“Sorry--”

“It makes me want to learn more about you.” Ushiwaka turned his head away, swinging higher and humming the Dateko cheer. “I want to learn more about you.”

Yuuji let out a choked sound. “What do you mean by that?”

Ushiwaka hummed again, “I’m not sure if I can reciprocate your feelings, if it is romantic, because I would rather get to know you more, but if you would want to, I would like to keep in touch with you while I’m abroad.”

“I would want to.” Yuuji exclaims, albeit a little _too_ excited. “You don’t have to reciprocate my feelings, but thank you for considering them!” He rushed to stand up, then bowed towards the older guy.

“Just one favour,” Ushiwaka looked down at Yuuji as he was at the highest peak of the swing.

“Yeah?”

“Please don’t block me, or run away from me again.” Ushiwaka’s smile was wide this time, with eye crinkles and a sharp intake of breath indicating his laughter. “I can’t chase after you while I’m halfway across the world.”

Yuuji flushed again, “Okay.” He sat back down onto the swing, and started swinging himself. “Okay,”

 ****  
  
  
  
  
  


 

 

 

 

 

 

Months later..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 ** _> >From: (arm flexing emoji) (heart eyes emoji)<3 [11:15]_ ** **_  
_ ** **** _I can’t wait to see you later_

 **_> >To: (arm flexing emoji) (heart eyes emoji)<3 [11:16]_ ** ****  
**** _See you later_ _  
_ _ <3 _

**_> >From: (arm flexing emoji) (heart eyes emoji)<3 [11:18] _ ** ****  
**** _Make sure you wear something nice, the restaurant is formal-wear._ _  
_ _and take your piercings off_

 **_> >To: (arm flexing emoji) (heart eyes emoji)<3 [11:20]_ ** ****  
**** _but you love my piercings~~_ _  
_ _for you, ill take them off_

 **_> >From: (arm flexing emoji) (heart eyes emoji)<3 [11:22]_ ** ****  
**** _Okay, lol_ _  
_ _just because I like them doesn’t mean that I would want us to get kicked out from the place our first date is taking place._

 **_> >To: (arm flexing emoji) (heart eyes emoji)<3 [11:24]_ ** ****  
**** _okay okay~~ i’ll take them off… but if they close youre paying for them_ _  
_ _See you later!_

 ** _> >From: (arm flexing emoji) (heart eyes emoji)<3 [11:25]_** ** _  
_**_be safe_  
_…_ _  
_ <3

****

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> when i first posted this i fucked up and i realized that half the chapter was up, so i had to fix it. holy crap-  
> tumblr:   
>  main: suguru-daishous.tumblr.com  
>  writing blog: domesticated-senpai.tumblr.com  
> twitter: @domestic_senpai


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